Quips And Quotes

Because Of My Father…

“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.”  Clarence Budington Kelland

“When I’m at my best…I am my father’s daughter.”  Tribute Journal

“Every father should remember that one day his children will follow his example, not his advice.”  Charles Kettering

“How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you.”  LeRoy Jorgensen, my dad

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give to another person, he believed in me.”  Jim Valano

“No matter how old she may be, sometimes a girl just needs her dad.”  Tribute Journal

Doing All The Summer Things!

“Work hard, stay positive, and get up early.  It’s the best part of the day.  George Allen Sr.

“Taking time to enjoy an early morning will bless your whole day.”  Henry David Thoreau

“Go where you feel the most alive.”  C. S. Lewis

“Gardening is the purest of human pleasures.”  Francis Bacon

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.”  Charles Bowden

“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.”  Lovelle Drachman

“A little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about.”  John Mayer

Fun And Funny Moments Of Motherhood!

“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.”  Mark Twain

“My favorite place is inside your hug.”  Winnie the Pooh

“There’s a lot to be said for motherhood.  Just make sure the kids are out of earshot!”  Maxine, cartoon character

“Play gives children a place to practice what they are learning.”  Mr. Rogers

“If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it.”  Erma Bombeck

The Cookbook Challenge!  A Toast To Toast!

Part of the secret to success in life is to eat what you like!”  Mark Twain

“All sorrows are less with bread!”  Miguel de Cervantes

“I grew up kissing books and bread!”  Salman Rushdie

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  A House Refresh!

“Home should be a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love!”  Marin J. Ashtom

“Sunshine is the best medicine!”  Tribute Journal

“No matter how long the winter–spring is sure to follow.”  Proverbs

Bring On Spring!

“I must have flowers always and always.”  Monet

Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer!  I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.”  Gustan Mahler

“Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party!’  Robin Williams

Leather Chair Reading!  Fiercehearted!

“We lose ourselves in books, but we can find ourselves in them too!  Tribute Journal

Quotes below by Holley Gerth from her book “Fiercehearted”:

“Every day we struggle to find more freedom, joy and purpose.  What if the solution isn’t trying harder or being better, but embracing the fiercehearted woman we each have inside us already!”

“We need to be human together, to share the hard times and the happy.  The struggles and the victories.  Life is better when it’s shared.”  

“Let’s be heroines in our own wild, imperfect glorious stories.  Never understudies for someone else’s.”  

“What will you do with your one wild and precious life?”  Mary Oliver

“I have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7

“It’s never too late for a happily ever-after.”  Lovelle Gerth-Meyer

The Art Of The Small Gesture!

“Become a master of the small gesture!”  Ken Langone, co-founder of Home Depot

“For me, small gestures mean a lot precisely because they are small.  They do not shout, ‘Look at me!’ They simply offer love quietly.”  Tribute Journal

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention!”  Oscar Wilde

“I love the kind of  hugs where you physically feel sadness leaving you body!”  Charlie Brown,Peanuts” comic strip

“Often it is the small gestures, such as a smile or kind word, from the heart that can change relationships and make an impact on others.”  Tony Wong

“Amid the chaos of everyday life, we need to be reassured that goodness exists; we should let it fill our souls, then do our part to pass it on.”  Tribute Journal

Cinderella Days!  Cultivating Children’s Talents!

“Talent cannot be taught…but it can be awakened!”  Wallace Stegner

“We should stop thinking of our children as bonsai trees that need to be carefully pruned, and beging thinking of them as wildflowers that will reveal their o unique and glorious beauty.”  Julie Lythcott

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Your talent can determine what you can do.  Your motivation can determine how much you are willing to do.  But your attitude will determine how well you really do it.”  Lou Holtz

“Find a purpose in life so big that it will challenge every capacity you have to always be your very best.”  David O. McKay

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me.”  Erma Bombeck

The Best Advice…For A Happy New Year!

“Dream big.  Start small.  Act now.”  Robin Sharma

“We are striving for progression not perfection.”  Alison Hymas

“Learning to listen is the first step in formulating the best care plan for each patient beyond their immediate medical needs,  As knowledgeable as we’d like to think we are as doctor’s, you don’t advance in your career by doing all the talking.”  Dr. Shannon Jenkins, Neonatologist 

“One of the sincerest forms of respect…is actually listening to what another person has to say.”  Bryant McGill

“I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I know I make mistakes, most o them unintentionally, but I also know I don’t want to be defined by those mistakes.”  Lauren Huff

“If you are unhappy…that’s on you.”  Rachel Hollis from her book “Girl, Wash Your Face”   

“I’ve always felt that if people were even 10% more attentive to others and the world around them than they currently are, we’d be a much happier population.”  Ed Henry of Fox News

“Like the whole world, we must rest and be quiet.”  Isaiah

Holiday Happiness!

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things–not the great occasions–give off the greatest glow of happiness.”   Bob Hope

“See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see.”  Wayne Dyer

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”  Mahatma Gandhi

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and singing glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men.  Luke 2:13-14

“Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.”   Helen Steiner Price 

Gratitude Rocks!  My Favorite Gratitude Journals!

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude.  A quite joy!”  Ralph H. Blum

“I don’t want to just list the stuff I’m grateful for; I want to bathe in it…I want my heart to burst open with the joy of it all!”  Christine Kane

“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”  Jean Massieu

The Thank-You Season!

“Remember, being happy doesn’t mean you have it all…it simply means you are thankful for what you do have.”  Tribute Journal

“Having an attitude of gratitude everyday makes us more aware of the many blessings that come our way.”   Jake Wilding, my son

“Being told you’re appreciated is one of the simplest and most uplifting things you can hear.”  Tribute Journal

“Teamwork divides the tasks…and multiplies the success!”  Unknown

“When some things go wrong, take a moment to be thankful for the many more things that are still going right.”  www.iampoopsie.com

“If the only prayer you ever say is ‘Thank-You’ –that will be enough.”  Eckhart Tolle

“God has two dwellings; one in heaven , and the other in a meek and thankful heart.”  Izaak Walton

“Our thanksgiving should be perpetual.”  Henry David Thoreau

The Cookbook Challenge!  Copycat Cooking!

“Enjoy your life and the great pleasures that come with it!”  Karolina Kurkova

Social Media Savvy and Safety For All Generations!

“Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master.”  Christian Lange

“You can’t fight progress…but you can unplug a good chunk of it!”  Maxine, cartoon character

 “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.”  C. S. Lewis

“Example, good or bad, has a powerful influence.  George Washington

“Caution is the parent of safety.”  Proverb

“Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being yourself.”  Wayne W. Dyer

“A computer screen limits your real life experiences.”  John le Carre

“We are more than capable of giving our internet use the priority is should take in our lives to avoid the easy distraction it can become from family, relationships and obligations.  It is important to keep a realistic perspective about social media.  Why let it have power to have a negative impact on the way we feel about ourselves and the wonderful lives we lead.  Yes, we see friends posting pictures of great trips, lovely families, and beautiful lifestyles, and it makes it look like they have amazing lives every minute of every day.  We often forget that they are posting their highlight reel!”   Leslie Zabriskie, School Technology Specialist for Davis County School District 

Admirable Women!  Clara Barton, A Pioneering Humanitarian!

Quotes by Clara Barton:

“You must never think of anything but the need and how to meet it…then God gives the strength and things that seem impossible are done!”

“It irritates me to be told how things have always been done.  I defy the precedent of tyranny–I simply cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind.” 

“The patriotic blood of my father and firm convictions of my mother run warm in my veins and uplift my soul when tasks seem insurmountable!”

“I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man’s salary.”

“I believe I must have been born in the equal rights of women to all the privileges and positions which nature and justice accord her.”

“I may be compelled to face danger, but I never fear it, so while brave soldiers can stand and fight…I can stand and feed and nurse them.”

“This conflict is one I am ready for…I am well and strong and young enough to go to the front.  If I can’t be a soldier, I can help the soldiers.”

“I heal the wounds of war.  I am a refuge from flood, fire and pestilence.  The love of little children is mine.  I am the Red Cross of peace!”  The Red Cross Creed

“Helping others is not only a responsibility of life; it is what gives meaning to life.”  Tribute Journal 

Garden Therapy!  Fall Foliage!

“There is a beautiful harmony and colorful luster about autumn!”  Percy Bysshe Shelley

“Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile.”  William Cullen Bryant   

The Best Advice…A Compilation!

“The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.”  Bertrand Russell

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”  Benjamin Franklin

“The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power, and to keep reading.”  Thomas R. Wilding

“If you want to be happy…you have to be happy on purpose!”  Carol Seely

“Opportunity, blessings and growth are usually disguised as hard work and effort!”  Kellee Heward

“Showing Christ by serving others.  By this will all men know that ye are my disciples.”  John 13:35

“May my children look back on this day and see a mom who had time to play.  There will be years for cleaning and cooking, but children can grow up quickly while we’re not looking.”  A Mother’s Prayer

“Live curious!  Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it has added spice to my life.”  Marilyn Hymas

“What is almost as important as breathing?  Getting a good education!”  LeRoy I Jorgensen, my wise dad 

“Kids are candles waiting to be lit, not buckets waiting to be filled.”  Catherine Bolinder

“Have faith in your journey!”  Tribute Journal

“The secret of being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most of every day!”  Merle M. Jorgensen, my cute mom 

A Tribute To Teachers!

“You know it’s time to go back to school when parents are singing…it’s the most wonderful time of the year!”  Relatably.com

“A good education can change anyone, but a good teacher can change everything.”  Curly Girl card

“Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a good teacher.”  Maggie Gallagher

“A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.”  Tribute Journal

“Creativity is intelligence having fun!”  Albert Einstein 

“Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn.”  John Cotton Dana

“Let us remember…one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.”  Malala Yousafzai 

Cookbook Challenge!  Down Home Cooking!

“Meals and memories go hand in hand at our house!”  Tribute Journal

“This cookbook features down home, soothe your soul, easy to prepare recipes!”  Bear Bottom Bliss Cookbook

“Bear Creek Smokehouse is always about family and quality…it always will be.”  Nellie Shoults

“Laughter is brightest where food is best!”  Irish Proverb 

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Outdoor Living!

“Come sit with me on the patio…the drinks are cold and the friendship’s free.”    Tribute Journal

“It’s always a good idea to take a smallish nap or two in a nice summer breeze.”  Winnie the Pooh

“Outdoors is where you realize…what is beautiful, what is rare, what is true!”  Ben Okri

“Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining–everyone wants to get involved.”  Bobby Flay

“At the end of the day…your hair should be messy and your eyes sparkling.”   Shanti

“Taking time to do nothing, often brings everything in your life into perspective.”  Doe Zantamata

“Rest and be thankful!”  William Wadsworth

I Am A Proud American!

“May we think of freedom not as a right to do as we please, but as an opportunity to do what is right.”  Peter Marshall

Democracy cannot breathe, indeed it will die, if those enjoined to protect it and uphold the laws snuff it out with no consequences.”  Marian Wright Edelman

“The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.”  Plato

“Your greatest wealth is your health.”  Virgil

“American soldiers constantly demonstrate their uncanny ability to assess stressful situations, adapt quickly and make sound decisions, often at risk of life, but without hesitation.  I am absolutely convinced that this generation of young men and women, who willingly put their lives on the line for their country, is the next Great Generation.”  Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army

“There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”  Colin Powell   

Drink The Wild Air!  An Ode To Summer!

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air!”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Summertime is always the best of what might be…if you make a few plans.”  Charles Bowden

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt!”  John Muir

“You must be a little fearless to take the road less traveled.”   Lailah Gifty Akita

“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the human race.”  H. G. Wells

“From here to there and there to here, there are fun and funny things everywhere!”  Dr. Suess

“We didn’t know we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.”  Unknown

“Every summer has its own special story!”  Tribute Journal 

Wanderlust!  Planning Your Next Travel Adventure!

Wanderlust (n.)  A strong desire or urge to wander or travel and explore the world.  Merriam Webster dictionary 

“And then I realized…adventures are the best way to learn!”  The Traveler’s Chant

“Traveling…it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller!”  Ibn Battuta 

“I learned one thing…do not go on trips with anyone you do not love!”  Ernest Hemingway, The Moveable Feast

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us!”  Traveler’s Creed

“Never stop exploring…you become a better person when you’re curious about the people and the world around you.  Life is an adventure!”  Jake Wilding    

The Cookbook Challenge!  Healthyish!

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients!”  Julia Child

 “My main goal is to give you good, doable recipes that fit into your real lives!”  Lindsay Maitland Hunt author of “Healthyish”

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art!”  Francois de La Rochfoudauld

“A healthy outside starts from the inside!”  Robert Urich

Leather Chair Reading!  Books That Challenge Your Heart!

“Challenge your fears…find your potential!”  Bishop T. J. Jakes

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way!”  Martin Luther King

“I want doctors to treat towards health…and not treat towards disease!”  “If your doctor treats you like a textbook, it might be time to make a change.”  “Don’t make living healthy too complicated–live your life, just try to live it better every day.”  Dr. David B. Agus in his book “A Short Guide To A Long Life”

 “The only journey is the journey within!”  Rainer Maria Rilke

Garden Therapy!  Pretty Flower Pots!

“When beautiful spring comes, and nature resumes her loveliness…the human soul is apt to be revived also!”   Harriet Jacobs

“For children, most importantly, being in a flower garden is something magical!”  Fritjof Capra

“When you plant flowers…you decorate your soul.”   Luther Burbank   

The Power Of Wow!  Be Amazed Every Day!

“Spring breathes ne life into the world all around us!”  Tribute Journal

“Give each day the chance to become the most beautiful of your life!”  Mark Twain

“The most powerful force on earth…is the human soul on fire.”  Unknown

“The past is behind us, learn from it.  The future is ahead, prepare for it.  The present is here.  Live it!”  Thomas S. Monson

“There’s a certain joy and wonder everywhere about you, when you see the world through a child’s eyes.”  Katrina Mayer

 “Spring brings out our optimism.”  Susan Bissonette

“A good chef is like a sorceress who serves up magic and happiness!”  Elsa Schiaparelli

“At the end of the day, before you close your eyes…be content with what you’ve done, and proud of who you are.”  Tribute Journal

“When you rush through life…it becomes a race, but when you cherish each moment…it becomes a beautiful journey.”  Apoovre Debey 

Admirable Women!  The Creative Vision Of Joan Ganz Cooney!

“Cherishing children is the mark of a civilized world!”  Joan Ganz Cooney

“It’s not whether children will learn from television, it’s what children will learn from television…because everything that children see on television is teaching them something!”  Joan Ganz Cooney

Lessons Learned!

“Embrace the current season of your life!”  Gabrielle Blair

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit!  Aristotle

“It is not enough to put your heart and soul into something…the really important things requite much more than that!”  Curly Girl card

“Change is inevitable, growth is optional!” John Maxwell

“Stay close to people who feel like sunlight!”  Tribute Journal

“Your vision will become clear when you can look into your own heart,  Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”  Carl Jung   

Cinderella Days!  Games And Activities For Older Kids!

“Games give you a chance to excel, and if you’re playing in good company you don’t even mind if you lose, because you had the enjoyment of that company during the course of the game!”  Gary Gygax

Creating Your  Home Sweet Home!  Love At Home!

“Live simply, laugh often, love deeply, dream big, give thanks.”  via Zazzle posters

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”  Mother Teresa

It’s beautiful to express love…but it’s even more beautiful to genuinely feel it!”  Dejon Stojanovic  

My Funny Valentine!

“Real love is when reality is better than your dreams!”  Tribute Journal

“The key to a happy marriage…is to work hard to make it happen!”  Kelly Hoppen

“Motivate and support your partner.  You are both a work in progress…so grow and build together.”  LiveLifeHappy.com

One of the most important things about communication in marriage…is hearing what isn’t being said!”  Peter Drucker

“What we see depends on what we look for.”    John Lubbock

“My funny Valentine, sweet comic Valentine, you make me smile with all my heart…!”  from the lyrics of “My Funny Valentine” by Lorenz Hart

“It’s not necessarily being in love that makes me so darn happy, it is the neat person that I’m in love with that does.”  Tribute Journal

Leather Chair Reading!  Cozy January Books!

“A book is a gift you can open again and again.”  Garrison Keillor

“A town without a little book shop…is a town without a heart.”    Nightingale Book shop owner, Julius in “How To Find Love In A Book Shop”

“The Lord heals the broken hearted, binds up their wounds, numbers all the stars, calls each of them by name.”  Psalm 147:3-4

Make A Difference!

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”   Mahatma Gandhi

“Be who God meant yo to be…and you will set the world on fire!”  Catherine of Siena

“The purpose of life, of course, is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you lived and lived well.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“When I do good, I feel good.  When I do bad, I feel bad.  That is my religion.”  Abraham Lincoln

“Never underestimate the difference YOU can make in the lives of others; step forward, reach out, and help with graciousness.”  Pablo

“I am always blown away by the good and dedicated people who help hold our society together with their dreams.”  Jeff Chaplin

“God’s plans for your life fare exceed the circumstances of your day.”  Louie Giglio

“Stand for something.  Make you life mean something.  Start where you are with what you have.  You are enough.”  Germany Kent   

I Believe!

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are things we can’t see!”  The Polar Express

“For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:6

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in sincere prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”  Mark 11;24

“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13   

“Some people dream of success…while other people wake up and work hard at it.”  Winston Churchill

“Hope is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances.  It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn.”  Dieter Uchtdorf 

“Let your hope keep you joyful, e patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.”  Romans 12:12

“Despite everything, I still believe that people are truly good at heart.”  Anne Frank

“Do unto others, whatsoever you would like them to do to you.”  Matthew 7:12

“Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another.  Honor one another above ourselves.”  Romans 12:9-10 

Naturally BeYOUtiful!

“Beauty might bring happiness…but happiness always brings beauty!”  Tribute Journal

“Healthy hair is literally your crowning glory!”  Andreas Stavrou, hairstylist

“You are naturally beautiful when you are yourself!”  WiseWords 

A Little TLC For Our Smiles!

“They sure are handy when you smile…so keep your teeth around for a while!”  Dr. Suess

“You don’t have to brush all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep.”  Quotable

“Wake up, put on your prettiest smile and love today!”  Daily Dental Humor

“I hate brushing my teeth at night because it means that I can’t have anymore food and I’m just not for that kind of commitment!”  Everyday Funny

Sunday Morning!  Taking Time To Nourish Our Souls!

“Wishing you a happy Sunday!  Let’s do what makes our souls shine!”  Steve Hartman, CBS Sunday Morning

“A Sunday well spent…brings a week of content!”  Old Proverb

“A happy life is manifested in a more balanced union of body, mind and soul!”  Tribute Journal

The Cookbook Challenge!  Garden Pasta!

“My green thumb has come only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant’s point of view.”  H. Fred Ale

My extravagance is my garden, it’s the first thing I look at every morning, it gives me such pleasure.”  Ina Garten

“It’s hard to have anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”  Tribute Journal

Admirable Women! The Adventurous Life Of Amelia Earhart!

Quotes by Amelia Earhart:

“Adventure is worthwhile in it’s self.”

“Flying is not all clear sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.”

“…now and then, women should do for themselves what men have already done–occasionally what men have not done–thereby, establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action.  Some such consideration was a contributing reason for my wanting to do what I so much wanted to do.”

“The most effective way to do it…is to do it!” 

“Nothing is achieved by people who give up.”

“Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn’t be done.”

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”

Oh September!

“Life starts all over again…when it gets cold and crisp in the fall.”  F. Scott Fitzgerald

“By all these lovely tokens September days are here, with summer’s best of weather, and autumn’s best of cheer!”  H.H. Jackson

“Autumn is the mellow season–where what we lose in flowers, we more than gain in fruits.”  Samuel Butler

You don’t have to cook complicated mantelpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients.”   Julia Child

“We rise by lifting others.”  Robert Ingersoll

Cinderella Days!  Fairy Gardens!

“All it takes is faith and trust…and a little fairy dust!”  Tinkerbell

“Like stardust glistening on fairy wings, little girl’s dreams are of magical things!”  Fairy Creed

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams!”  Eleanor Roosevelt

Summer Anthems!

“Summertime is always the best of what might be!”  Charles Bowden

“Like a lyric to a favorite song, you stay with me all day long.  And when I get to the end, I wanna hear it again!”  Toby Mac

“She drives a vegetable car.  Diesel Mercedes, green two door, Lisa Loeb glasses…I do wish that you’d ask me to ride along.”  Lyrics: Vegetable Car, by Joshua Radin

“Lord I was born a ramblin’ man, trying to make a living and doing the best I can.  And when it’s time for leavin’, I hope you’ll understand…that I was born a rambling man.”  Lyrics: Ramblin’ Man, by The Allman Brothers Band

“Trees swaying in the summer breeze, showing off their silver leaves as we walked by.  Soft kisses on a summer’s day, laughing all our cares away…just you and me!”  Lyrics: A Summer Song, by Chad and Jeremy

“Roll out those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer…you’ll wish that summer could always be here.”   Lyrics: Those Crazy Hazy Lazy Days Of Summer, by Nat King Cole

Saturday in the park, where every day’s the fourth of July.  People talking, really smiling; a man playing guitar and singing for us all…and I’ve been waiting such a long time for today.”  Lyrics: Saturday In The Park, by Chicago   

“If the sun would have just hung up in that sky just a little bit longer; if the blue waves could’ve stayed at our feet on the beach instead of going out with the tide…if only I had a little more summertime.”  Lyrics: A Little More Summertime, by Jason Aldean

“One must maintain a little bit of summer…even in the middle of winter.”  Henry David Thoreau

American Patriotism: Getting Back To The Basics!

“Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion, but a tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”  Adlai Stevenson

“My vote is my voice…and the voice of all those who struggled before me so that I may have my voice.”  Lydia C. Obasi

“We should be participants, not merely bystanders in the processes of democracy to preserve us as a nation.”  James E. Faust

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but we can work to change a small portion of events, and the total of all those acts will be written in the history of that generation.”  Robert Kennedy

“True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what’s right”  Brigham Young  

Leather Chair Reading!  Fun And Thoughtful Summer Books!

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need!”  Tribute Journal

“Unexpected things happen when you are young that change you–or maybe a better way to say this is, unexpected things happen when you are young that shape you.”  Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of the book, Short

“Just when we think we have our own stories figured out, heroes arise in the most unexpected places.”  Camron Wright, author of the book, The Rent Collector

“Our lives are the direct result of our choices, and the most important choices we make become our character traits…the ones that lead to fulfillment and peace of mind.”  Hal Urban, author

“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should as him what books he reads.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Happy People!

“Happiness is not ready made.  It comes of your own actions.”  Dalai Lama

“Well, life is short and love is rare, and we all deserve to be happy while we’re here…so here’s to whatever puts a smile on your face!”  lyrics from the song “Happy People” by Little Big Town

“Loving someone means being happy for them when they are happy!”  Tribute Journal

“Happiness appears where dreams meet preparation!”  Unknown

“Smile, happy looks good on you!”  Tribute Journal 

The Cookbook Challenge!  Recipes From Huckleberry!

“If you choose to wake up at 6 A.M. to surprise your family with muffins made by exactly following one of our recipes, I promise you will be successful and get a lot of extra praise and appreciation from your family!  You can also use these recipes to give you guidance, messing around with them, inserting your own ideas, until you get it exactly as you want it.  I will certainly not be offended.  Remember, baking is supposed to be fun, so don’t take yourself too seriously while doing it!”  Zoe Nathan, author of the cookbook, Huckleberry       

Garden Therapy!  Colorful Shade Plants!

“Spring is that wonderful time of year when our spirits are renewed and we get to enjoy some of the loveliest things Mother Nature has to offer!”  Lilly D. Meacham, my grandma 

Admirable Women!  The Quiet Strength Of Laura Bush!

Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find answers.  And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open.”  Laura Bush

“I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card.”  Laura Bush

Islam is a religion that respects women and humanity and condemns the brutal degradation of  women and children by the Taliban regime.  In Afghanistan, we see the world the terrorists would like to impose on the rest of us.”  Laura Bush

“There is some good in the world, and it’s worth fighting for.”  Tribute Journal

“We can overcome evil with greater good.”  Laura Bush   

Creating Your Home Sweet Home! Baby Love Nursery Design!

“You are our greatest adventure!”   Tribute Journal

Cinderella Days!  Let’s Party!

“You rarely succeed in life unless you have some fun along the way.”  Vikas Runwal

Valentine Gifts From The Heart!

“A really good friend,” she said, “makes you snort when you laugh, and will still hang out with you when you do it in public!”  Curly Girl card

“Remember, romance doesn’t start in the bedroom!”  LeRoy Jorgensen, my dad

Hello 2017!  Let’s Try A Little Harder To Be A Little Better!

“Someone’s health can often be measured by what they take two at a time…stairs or pills!”  Joan Walsh

“Today I will live in the moment…unless that moment is unpleasant, in which case I will have a cookie!”  Cookie Monster

“Enjoy your life, don’t waste away your days looking for better ones ahead!”  LeRoy Jorgensen, my dad

“You hold your heart in my heart in your hands!  Don’t clap!”  Tribute Journal

“Wake up with determination.  Go to bed with Satisfaction!”  Tribute Journal

“When life sends her an invitation…she RSVP’s ‘Yes’!”  Curly Girl card

Christmasland!

“The best gift around the tree is the presence of a caring family all wrapped up in each other.”  Merle M. Jorgensen, my mom

A Blessing Named Elliot…An Adoption Story!

“Babies are the beginning of a dream of possibilities.”  Eda LeShan

“Babies are a link between angels and man.”  Author Unknown

“A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.”  Carl Sandberg

“Having a baby is to decide forever to have your heart walking outside your body!”  Elizabeth Stone

“It is not a slight thing when those so fresh from heaven love us!”  Charles Dickens

The Cookbook Challenge!  Homemade With Love!

“Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have!”  Jim Rohn 

Leather Chair Reading!  Books That Celebrate The American Spirit!

“There is nothing so wrong with America that faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizen’s cannot cure!”  Dwight D. Eisenhower

“The eyes of all America are upon us as we play our part; posterity will bless or curse us!”   Henry Knox “1776” 

“Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution for ordinary men and women, in clear, precise language; they intentionally made it short enough to read in a single sitting.”  Dr. Ben Carson “A More Perfect Union” 

“The purpose of this document is to create a more perfect union of this blessed nation.”  Preamble to the Constitution

 “When he thought of his history, what resonated with him…was not all the pain he had suffered, but the divine love that he believed had intervened to save him.”  Laura Hillenbrand on Louis Zamperini

“I love my freedom.  I love my America!”  Tribute Journal

College Bound!

“The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth!”  Erasmus

“What we learn becomes a part of who we are!”  Tribute Journal

New Horizons!

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself!  John Dewey 

The Great Adventure Of Living A More Balanced Life!

“Step with care and great tact…and be sure to remember that life’s a great balancing act!  Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.  And never mix up your right foot with your left.”  Dr. Suess

“You can do anything, but not everything.”  David Allen

“Balance is the process of holding something steady during change.”   Tribute Journal

Dear Mom…Writing A Special Mother’s Day Letter!

An old Jewish Proverb states that a mother can understand what a child does not say–but maybe we ought to go ahead and tell her once in awhile anyway!  Tribute Journal 

Mother: (muhth-er) –noun  1. One person who does the work of twenty.  For free!  Urban Dictionary

“Spread love everywhere you go.  Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier!”  Mother Teresa

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Floral Décor!

“Be faithful to your decorating taste, because nothing you love ever really goes out of style.”  Billy Baldwin 

Cinderella Days!  A Few More Of Grandma’s Favorite Things!

“Simple moments spent with grandchildren become special memories!”  Tribute Journal

“Accomplishment is a celebration of the human spirit!”  Sebena White

“The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent!”  Sam Levensen

“Grandparents are good a sprinkling stardust over the lives of little children.”  Alex Haley

“Love is the greatest gift one generation can leave to another!”   Richard Garnett    

The Cookbook Challenge!  Let’s Do Brunch!

“Laughter is the brightest in the place where food is!”  Irish Proverb

“For I remember it is Easter morn, and life and love and peace are all newborn.”  Alice Freeman Palmer

Stay Humble And Kind!

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”  Aesop

In-Between Winter And Spring Things!

“No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn!”  Hal Borland

“Spring: the music of open windows!”  Tribute Journal

“No matter how long the winter…spring is sure to follow!”  Proverb

Life Together In A Real Marriage!

“I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a storybook marriage.  Well, in the story books I read, there were never long, rainy afternoons in a house with five boys screaming at once.  And those books never seemed to have chapters in them called MS and breast cancer.  A storybook marriage…?  No, not at all, what Mitt and I have is a real marriage!”  Ann Romney, from her book– “In This Together!”

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love…and be loved in return!”  Tribute Journal

Hello February!  5 Ways To Have A Loveable Month!

Life is short, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly!  Mark Twain

A Fine Winter’s Meal!

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.”  Edith Sitwell

I Can!

“There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living!”  Nelson Mandella

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply!”  Stephen R. Covey    

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Calories, Cash And Celebrating a New Year!

“Having realistic expectations about your daily challenges is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy healthy and rewarding life.”  Marilu Henner, actress

“The real secret to a fabulous life, is to live imperfectly with delight!”  Curly Girl card

Christmas Cinderella Days! Holiday Activities And Goodies!

“It’s Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air!”

“It’s good to be children sometimes…but never better than at Christmastime!”

A  Nice, Normal Family?!

“Remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a nice, normal family!”  Tribute Journal

“There’s a certain rightness in our wrongness!”  from the movie, “Dan in Real Life”

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Managing Juvenile Diabetes!

As a nurse, I often see superheroes reside in the brave hearts of small children fighting big battles!  Tribute Journal

Thankful Giving!

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a gift and not giving it!”  William Arthur Ward

Leather Chair Reading!  A Life Changing Book!

“To change ones life: Start immediately.  do it flamboyantly. No exceptions!”  William James

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived in order to be understood!”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Thankfulness does wonders for the soul.  When we focus on what’s right instead of what’s wrong, life improves considerably!”

“Living a more fulfilled life is as simple as looking for the best…in the world, in others, and in ourselves!  Doing this will unlock your mind to a treasure chest of life’s opportunities and possibilities!” 

Hal Urban, author of “Life’s Greatest Lesson: 20 things That Matter!”

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise! Coping With Endometriosis!

“Endometriosis is not thought of as a big deal because it doesn’t kill like cancer, but for me, it’s the biggest life event I can remember.  It consume my whole world.  Endometriosis is constantly shaping my present and my future.”  Padma Lakshimi, celebrity chef  

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring…all of which have the potential to turn life around.”  Leo Buscaglia

I’d Love To Have Lunch With Taylor Swift’s Mom!

“The same parenting that helps children become emotionally healthy, also encourages creativity!”  Dr. Laura Markham creator of Aha Parenting.com

“The artist is not necessarily a special kind of person; rather each person must work hard to become a special kind of artist.”  Ananda Coomaraswarmy

“Families can help us discover how good we can really be!”  Hal Urban, author of “Life’s Greatest Lessons”

“Here’s to good women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them!”  Heather Stillufsen  

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!  Alzheimer’s Disease And My Care Journey!

“In examining the disease, we gain wisdom about anatomy, physiology and biology.  In examining the person with the disease, we gain wisdom about life.”   Author of “Still Alice” Lisa Genova, on Alzheimer’s disease

“My yesterdays are disappearing, my tomorrows are uncertain, but I live for each day.  I live in the moment…I have to.”  Lisa Genova, “Still Alice”

“Courage is grace…under pressure.”  Ernest Hemingway

Patio Potluck Picnics!

“Anyone who has taken a place at a picnic table has a checkered past!”  John Kintz

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!  Immunization Guidelines!

I tell parents, “I vaccinate myself and my family to protect them, I wouldn’t do anything different with yours.”  Nothing works 100% of the time, but I can honestly say that this approach works more effectively than anything else I say, and it takes less than two minutes.  Dr. Ari Brown on immunization from her book, Baby 411

“I would make the case that a choice not to get vaccines is ot a risk-free choice.  Rather, it’s a choice to take a different and far more serious risk.”  Dr. Paul Offit director of the “Vaccine Education Center” at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Cinderella Days!  The Great Read-A-Thon!

“Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find the answers.  And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open!”  Laura Bush

“There are many ways to enlarge your child’s world, the love of books is the best of all!  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

“Oh, to witness the magic when a child first knows she can read the printed word”  from the book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

“Books are portable magic!”  Stephen King

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Feature Walls!

“It’s hard to truly understand somebody without visiting them at home–the walls of their house reveal their character and share a bit of their story!”  Gilbert Higbit

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!  Cholesterol, Credit Cards And Courage!

“Research suggest that laughing decreases stress hormones, so I strongly advise that laughter be prescribed as a way to increase good HDL cholesterol test results and prevent heart disease–besides, once you start laughing, it forces you to feel better…and that’s just good medicine!”  Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, cardiologist 

“…if you can’t resist the siren song of a sale, at the very least, having only one credit care, with a limited balance available, will curtail impulsive buying and help you be more thoughtful about your spending.”  Shawn Achor, author of “The Happiness Advantage”

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”  Walt Disney

Pioneer Heritage…And The Tale Of A Farm Kid!

After sever months and countless miles of travel and trial, Brigham Young led the first company of Mormon Pioneers into Utah’s valley of the great Salt Lake.  Gazing over the parched earth of the remote location, Young declared,

“This is the place!”  Utah History Archives 

Healthy Snacks…No Kale Included!

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art!”   La Rochefoucauld

“My idea of healthy eating is blowing the sugar off my donut!”  Homer Simpson from the TV show “The Simpsons” 

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Energy, Nest Eggs And Ego! 

“Summertime passes by quickly, so you better hurry up and enjoy it!”  CagleCartoons

“It’s a happy talent to know how to play well!”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started!”  Mark Twain

“I actually don’t think I’m much smarter than anybody else, I’m just willing to study hard and do the owrk required to solve a problem, and therin lies wisdom.”  Dr. Ben Carson

“Truly knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”  Aristotle

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Don’t Fry Day!

“There’s good wisdom in seeking after those things that will help you maintain good health, because after all, feeling well us truly one of life’s richest blessings!”  from the life history of Leroy I. Jorgensen, my dad

Spring Baking!  Easy Orange Rolls!

“Baking is sharing!”  The Food Network Channel’s Chef Ina Garten 

Thoughts On Motherhood!

“Each stage of life can be the most amazing adventure, Mary, but it requires some effort, courage and laughter to make it happen!”  Merle Jorgensen, my mom

“A good education is another name for happiness.”  Ann Plato

“…women become so much stronger if instead of comparing ourselves to each other, we care for each other better and share genuine encouragement and support for one another.”  Merle Jorgensen, my mom

“There is no such cozy combination as a man loving a wife…or a father helping a mother!”  Meander

“How lucky I am to have had someone that made saying goodbye so hard!”  Winnie the Pooh

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!  Magnesium, Money Tips And Mentors!

“Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it!”  Albert Einstein

“To realize the potential of the present, we need to heed the wisdom of the past.  When we see our struggles in the stories of those who have gone before us, we feel less alone.  We begin to see that there are sources of wisdom all around us!”  from the book, “Resilience” by Eric Greitens 

Spring Fling!

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything!”  Shakespeare

“Kind words exchanged are like a spring day!”  Chinese Proverb

“Be sure and take you pleasures seriously!”  Charles Eames

“I love spring anywhere, but if I have a choice, I would always greet it in a garden.”  Ruth Stout 

“Spring colors…a perpetual astonishment”!  Ellis Peters

“Spring is natures way of saying…Let’s Party!”  Robin Williams

“The day the Lord create hope, was probably the same day he created SPRING!”  Bern Williams

Leather Chair Reading!  International Children’s Book Day!

“Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers!”  Hans Christian Andersen

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Death And Taxes!

“Nothing in life is certain except death and taxes!”  Benjamin Franklin

“Taxes grow without rain!”  Jewish Proverb

“There is no such thing as a good tax!”  Winston Churchill

“Income tax has made more liars out of American people than golf has!”  Will Rogers

“The perfection of wisdom and the end of true philosophy is to proportion our wants with our possessions and our ambitions to our capacities.  Only then can we be a happy and virtuous people.”  Mark Twain 

Cinderella Days!  A Funny, Unfiltered Cinderella Movie Review!

“I want to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer, have courage and be kind!  Where there is kindness, there is goodness, and where there is goodness, there is magic!”  Cinderella’s mother to Cinderella in the 2015 movie

Birthday Letters!

“If you’re not getting older, you’re obviously NOT living”  LeRoy Jorgensen, my dad

A Birthday Letter From My Dad:

Get lost in a good book whenever you can.

Enjoy people with similar interests, but learn to respect their differences.

Sincerely appreciate those who care for you.

Explore the world, but always look forward to going home the most.

The greatest personal growth comes when you lose the fear of being wrong.

Be in awe of something every day!

Compiled from birthday letters from my dad 

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up!”  Mark Twian

Little Things Mean A Lot!

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the BIG things!  Robert Brault

“The long, long memories of life are of people who are loving and kind!”  Helen Exley 

Oscar Worthy!

Quotes for the ages abound in “The Sandlot” movie:

“Your killin’ me Smalls!”–when the main character didn’t know what smores were?

“You play like a girl!”  Girls who watch the movie might take offense to this statement, but it certainly had a way of shutting down the ring leader of the opposing “elite” baseball team.

“Remember kid, there’s heroes and then there’s legends.  Heroes get remembered, but legends never die!”  quote by Babe Ruth in Sandlot

“It suppose to be hard.  If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it.  The hard…is what makes it great!”  A League Of Their Own

“There’s no crying in baseball.”  A League Of their Own

Healthy Wealthy And Wise!  Celebrating Women Edition!

A good acronym to remember the signs and symptoms of strokes is F A S T…

Facial dropping Arm weakness Speech difficulties Time is of the essence- call 911

Planting Kisses!

It goes like this…

Little Miss planted a kiss.

A what?  A kiss?

Sunshine. Water. Greet.

Repeat.

Wait and wait.  Getting late.

Doubt. Shout. Sprout.

Shout!

Gather about.

Oh wow!  What now?

I’ll share.  Don’t you dare!

She didn’t care.  To and fro.

High and Low.  Rain or shine.

With a bow.

From one little kiss…endless BLISS! 

from the book “Plant A Kisses” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

It’s Hearty Tuna Casserole For Dinner! 

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with them, the people who give you their food…give you their heart!”  Cesar Chavez 

Be Healthy, Wealthy And Wise!  Living The Dream!

“When we nourish our minds by observing, reading and studying, we can condition them to be more creative, to learn quicker, to think strategically, and problem solve better.”  from “Life’s greatest Lessons–20 Things That Matter Most”  by Hal Urban

“In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded in life lies in the difference in their habits.”  by author and motivational speaker, Og Mandino

Goals And Dreams For 2015!

It’s impossible, said Pride.

It’s too risky, said Experience.

It’s pointless, said Reason.

Give it a try, whispered the Heart!

Quote from Tribute Journal

“Each day comes bearing its own gifts!  Untie the ribbonRuth Ann Schabacker from the Gratitude Jotter Journal

Be Wild and Wonder!  Tribute Journal

Christmas Traditions!

Celebrate the Season!

Gather and be merry.

Rejoice.

Stand under the mistletoe.

Create coziness.

Savor the moment.

Bring the outside in.

Give hugs.

Count your blessings.

Christmas message on my Marianne Richmond Christmas platter

Gratitude Feels So Good!

“Gratitude feels so good because it is a state of mind closest to your natural state in which you were born to live!”  Abraham Hicks

Give thanks everyday.  1 Thessalonians 5:18

What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday!     

Yay, November!

“I love voting day, I love the sight of other American citizens lining up to make their voices heard”  from the life history of my mother,  Merle M. Jorgensen 

Women’s Health–A Common Sense Approach!

“Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well.!”  Marcus V. Martial

“Take care of your body.  It’s the only place you have to live!”  Jim Rohn

“Good health and fitness create an entry point that leads to helping you build a happier life.  When your health is strong, you’re capable of taking risks.  You will feel much more confident to go the extra mile.  You will have the energy to be a better person.  You will feel more deserving of love!”  Jillian Michaels from the TV show “Biggest Loser”

“Think Pink” acronym for Nat’l Breast Cancer Awareness–Perform monthly breast exam!   (Be) Informed about your family breast cancer history.  Need yearly mammogram after 40 years old. (Sooner if family history.)  Know your body!

Fall Favorites!

Autumn…when every leaf is a flower!  Tribute Journal

Cinderella Days!  Nurturing A Child’s Self-Esteem!

“Children are not things to be molded, but people to be unfolded!” Jess Lair

“…share how big your brave is!”  “Brave” by Sara Bareilles

“We Can Do Hard Things!”  Family Motto

“Feeling capable while feeling loved!”  definition of self-esteem

“Everything you can imagine is real!”  Pablo Picasso

“Take risks: if you win, much happiness; if you lose, much wisdom!”  Chinese Proverb

Garden Therapy!  Gifts From The Garden! 

“Where a garden grows, so does HOPE!”

  • Hope for new experiences in life.
  • Hope for abundant living and giving.
  • Hope for sharing it all with those you love.

 my maternal grandmother, Lillie D. Mecham

Happy Grandparents Day!

“Our senior generation helps our society with a link to our national heritage and traditions…because they are usually free to love and guide and befriend the young without having daily responsibilities for them, they can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generation.”  quoted from the National Grandparent Proclamation

“Perfect love sometimes does not come until you have grandchildren!”  Welsh Proverb

“We, like our grandchildren, begin with a childhood we thought would never end.  Now, all of a sudden, we are older than our parents were when we thought they were old!”  Lois Wyse

“Grandmother — a wonderful mother with lots of practice!”  Tribute Journal

” A Grandparent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”  Unknown 

“The idea that no one is perfect is a view most commonly held by people with no grandchildren!”  Doug Larsen

“What children need most are the essential that grandparents provide in abundance.  They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life.  And, most importantly, cookies.”  Rudolf Giuliani

“The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap!”  Tribute Journal

“Sometimes our Grandparents are like grand-angles!”  Lexie Saige

“Grandparents are the footsteps to future generations!”  Unknown

Leather Chair Reading!  Seedfolks!

“A young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard soil to plant her precious bean seeds.  Suddenly, the soil and the people around her hold promise.”  Seedfolks

“I grew up in a house built of voices.”  Paul Fleischman

“I start conversations in long lines, on buses and with grocery cashiers.  People see that I am friendly…if I’m lucky, I get them talking to each other.  Sewing up the rips in the neighborhood.”  Sam in Seedfolks

Summer Lovin’!

“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss…it’s sweet summertime!”  “Summertime”  by: Kenny Chesney

Cinderella Days!  School Is Cool!

“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”  Graham Greene

“Home is where one starts from.”  T.S. Eliot 

The Happiness Challenge Recap!  Kiss Your Life! 

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”  Abraham Lincoln

“If you want to be happy.  Be.”  Leo Tolstoy

I have noticed that some people seem to always be looking for some spectacular opportunity or job, a lucky number or whatnot–which will bring them great wealth or an exciting adventure; then they can relax on easy street for the rest of their lives–only concerned each day with what they can do that will be exciting and fun!  This attitude has no appeal for me.  It seems that much of life’s pleasures come from caring for the small, mundane tasks.  Unless a person can learn to enjoy these, much of what life has to offer is lost!” 

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen 

“He who sings, frightens away his ills.”  Spanish Proverb

“Surround yourself with people who know your worth.  You don’t need too many people to be happy, just a few REAL ones who appreciate you for exactly who you are.”  Unknown

“Kiss your life.  Accept it, just as it is.  Today.  Now.  So that those moments of happiness you’re waiting for don’t pass you by!”   My Tribute Journal

Garden Therapy!  Unconventional Yard Tools!

“Life is a garden, so dig it!”  My Tribute Journal

“Love began in a garden!”  Gift shops and Pinterest

Leather Chair Reading!  Feel Good Books!

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds and that’s what you’ve given me!  That is what I hope to give you forever!  “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks

7 Decisions For Success

1.  The buck stops here.  I am responsible for my past and my future.

2.  I will seek wisdom.  I will seize this moment.  I choose now.

3.  I am a person of action.  I will seize this moment.  I choose now!

4.  I have a decided heart.  My destiny is assured.

5.  Today I choose to be happy.  I am the possessor of a grateful spirit.

6.  I will greet today with a forgiving spirit.  I will forgive myself.

7.  I will persist without exception.  I am a person of great faith.

“The Traveler’s Gift”  by Andy Andrews

Celebrating Father’s Day!  My Father’s Hands!

“Fatherhood is the greatest education a man can ever receive!”  Asa Brown

“I believe that what we become depends largely on what our father’s teach us at odd moments when they aren’t trying to teach us.  We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”  Umberto Eco in “Foucault’s Pendulum”

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone can give another person, he believed in me!”  Jim Valvano

“The greatest work of a man is how he treats his family when no one is looking.”  Dan Pearce

“It’s only when you grow up and step back from him–or leave him for your own home–it seems it’s then that you really measure your father’s greatness and fully appreciate it”  Margaret Truman

“A man never stands so tall as when he kneels to help a child.”  Knights of Pythagoras Creed

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  House Jewelry!

House Blessings!

No matter what happens

In the rush of daily life,

May your home welcome you at day’s end

With comfort, peace, and light.

May it be your shelter

Throughout any hardships,

And may you know many blessings

In the company of loved ones and true friends.

                                   Corrine De Winter

The Hippocratic Oath!

“Be part of the best America has to offer!”

“Be carriers of caring!  Learn your trade in the world–and know that your patients are your world!”

“”Speak up if you see cruelties in your profession.  Don’t spread more suffering around, at the very least, don’t just doctor–HEAL!” 

by Dr. Samuel Shem, Rhodes Scholar, author and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School at NYU’s 2014 Medical School graduation

Garden Therapy!  Superstar Plants And Flowers!

“Gardening is prescription free medicine with no dosage limit!”

Oh, Baby!  Ideas For Personalized Baby Gifts!

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart!”  Winnie the Pooh

Leather Chair Reading!

“I hope there’s well stocked book shelves in heaven with a soft leather chair nearby!”  stated by my dad, LeRoy I. Jorgensen on his 88th birthday

“Those who will not read a book are no better off than those who cannot read a book!”  Mark Twain

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!

“Since the time of our marriage, Merle and I have had a comfortable, pleasant and well furnished home.  The years since then have shown me the basic importance of a home to the happiness and well-being of the family.”  my dad, LeRoy I. Jorgensen

Celebrating Life And The Easter Season!  

“A mother’s arms are made of strength and tenderness and children sleep soundly in them”  Victor Hugo

“When you touch a new baby’s hand, it can’t help but touch your heart, confirming to you that they just talked with God!”  my mom, Merle M. Jorgensen

Garden Therapy!  Spring Gardening!

“Funny thing about joy, is that you only find it when you are too busy having fun to go looking for it!”  Quote on a Curly Girl greeting card 

The Happiness Challenge!

“Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to be needed!”  Storm Jameson 

Cinderella Days!  Grandpa’s Cinderella Days!

Grandpa’s are similar to a piece of string–handy to have around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren!”  Unknown

Jello Rainbow Salad!

“May the saddest day of your future, be no worse than the happiest day of your past!  Irish Blessing

“Luck often depends on our ability to work hard!”  my dad, Leroy I. Jorgensen

Spring Fever…I’ve Got It Bad!

It’s Spring Fever:  That’s what the name of it is.  And when you’ve got it, you want – oh you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes you heart ache, you want it so!  Mark Twain

Love is Grand!  What I’m Learning From My Children’s Marriages!

I believe that life is precious, blessings are divine, laughter is special, and that when love is grand, all things are possible.  Written on an anniversary card from my husband.

“Oh believe me, there are times when George irritates me terribly, but I always respect him and I’m proud to be his wife!”  Barbara Bush, wife of former President George H. W. Bush 

Celebrating Valentine’s Day!  5 Fun Ways To Get Your Cupid On!

“When someone loves you…your eyelashes go up and down and little hearts come out of you!”  Quote on Curly Girl greeting card

“A heart that loves is always young at heart!

Valentine’s Day Quotes

January 22, 2014:  Cinderella Days!  Doc Mcstuffins Is In The House!

“Grandchildren complete life’s circle of love!”  Unknown

January 9 2014:  This Is Who I Am!  The Ongoing Saga Of New Year’s Resolutions!

“She packed up her potential and all she had learned, grabbed a cute pair of shoes and headed out to change a few things!”  Quote on Curly Girl greeting card

Life is about finding out who you are while enjoying the journey to get there!”

Aphisheck Tiwari

January 4, 2014:  Making Life A Special Occasion

A Nurse’s Prayer:  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if late night shifts were fun, uniforms were more flattering, if junk food had no calories, our touch always healed, and life was always special!

December 29, 2013:  Special Memories!

“Memories are the scribes of your soul”  From the movie The Book Thief

December 22, 2013:  My Christmas Wishes!

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves!”  James Barrie

“They do not love that do not speak their love.”  Shakespeare

“Do your little bit of good where you are–little bits of good that are put together, overwhelm the world!”  Desmond Tutu

November 15, 2013:  Thoughtful Kindness!

“Gratitude is a sign of maturity.  It is an indication of sincere humility.” 

A framed quote that I have on my living room shelf

“Who in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most undeniable feelings of warmth?”

“Those who were kindest to you, I bet.”

“It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder.”

“Now here’s the million dollar question: What’s our problem?  Why aren’t we kinder?”

“Because kindness, it turns out, is hard!”

“One thing in our favor: some of this “becoming kinder” happens naturally, with age…we somehow come to see how useless it is to be selfish…so my heartfelt wish is for you as you get older, is that you will gradually be replaced by LOVE.”

From a graduation address given by George Saunders, a best-selling New York Times short story author at Syracuse University

October 6, 2013:  Getting A Good Education–The Word On The Street Edition!

I have often felt the first grade that the first grade I received in Dr. Maeser’s class was one of the most important grades I ever received, in clear language he said to me, “You’re not the student you ought to be and can be!”  I accepted his challenge and did what I needed to do improve!”  

Quoted from Leroy I. Jorgensen autobiography

“A great teacher is one that cares about the student becoming better than the grade on the latest test…the great ones inspire students to want to learn, regardless of the situation or where the learning takes place.”  

Shane Warburton, son-in-law

Students and teachers both have to be active participants in the educational process!  Some of the traits of students that did well in my class are:

Organization:  “Help your child to be organized.  Set aside time to care of school work.  Before you go to bed each night, make sure you have everything you need for school the next day collected in a central location.”

Parents that value learning:  “Parents that are life-long learners tend to have children that enjoy learning new things.  Read to or with you children.  Let them see you reading for your own pleasure or knowledge.  Discuss things you read.  Encourage kids to create and explore.  Curious students are delightful to teach.  They stretch a lesson plan or activity by their questions.”  Leslie Zabriskie, teacher, friend and neighbor

“It’s important to have parents and children read aloud to each other.”  It’s also a good idea when short on time, “…to take real life situations and turn them into good learning experiences.”

“A valuable resource of information for teachers is other teachers!  Make ways to share information to better implement lesson plans.”  Stacie Rasmussen, 5th grade teacher 

“Teachers make all things possible!”  Jake Wilding, son, dentist in residency

September 28, 2013:  It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds!  Recognizing our Superpowers!

“Ever since the beginning, to keep the world spinning, it takes all kinds of kinds.”  From lyrics “All Kinds Of Kinds” by Miranda Lambert

“Behind every super woman is a great pair of shoes!”  Quote on Dolly Mama greeting card

September 25, 2013:  Cinderella Days!  Busy Worker Bees!

“Work and fun aren’t opposites!”  From the book “Life’s Greatest Lessons–20 Things That Matter Most” by Hal Urban

“The harder I work, the more I live!”  George Bernard Shaw  Playwright

September 6, 2013:  Young, Old…Just Words!

“Young, old…just words!”  George Burns

“Oh, the joys of wild living”  Robert Browning

“The enjoyment of life at any age is diminished by poor health.  My life has proved the wisdom of good judgment and moderation in this area of life”

Quoted from Leroy I. Jorgensen’s autobiography

August 29, 2013:  Cinderella Days!  Free Spirits!

Makena’s (my granddaughter) answer to questions about her first day of kindergarten:

What did you do at kindergarten today?

“Ummm, I played on the new playground…and oh, I learned stuff and got to put my book bag in my cubby!”

Did you make any friends?

Well, I palyed with a lot of kids on the playground!”  After a bit of prompting from my daughter…”Uhh, I have a friend at my table named, Claire.”

Are you excited to go again tomorrow?

“Yes, but I have to help my mom do a lot of papers by tomorrow!”  (My daughter can vouch for this! Ha!) 

August 25, 2013:  Back In The Saddle Again!

In his autobiography, my dad shares a story about how he and some friends used to skip their high school classes to go fishing in a nearby river.  He also tells that when his father became aware of what he was doing, he said, “Roy, I know you’ve been missing some of your classes.  It’s important that you finish high school.  I didn’t get to graduate and I know what I’ve missed.  If your can’t see why you should attend class for your own sake, then do it for me.” Then my dad says that since his father was so good to him, he started attending class regularly for him. “But as time went on, I got a clearer vision of things and started going for myself!”

Quoted from Leroy I. Jorgensen autobiography

August 19, 2013:  Birthday Girl!

“Welcome, you whisper and know more than maybe–you’re head over heels with this baby”  From the book “The Gifts Of Being Grand” by Marianne Richmond 

“Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us as we grow older!”  M. Waldrip

“Grandparents are meant to sprinkle stardust over the lives of children!”  Alex Haley Author of “Roots”

August 17, 2013:  A Family Motto…Of Sorts!

“Whenever I was with my father and we met his friends, he would introduce me to them by saying, ‘This is my son, Roy, he is a good student.’  I didn’t feel that I was all that good a student; but his comment made me feel accepted and loved, and encouraged my positive thinking about getting a good education.”

“Supplies would be distributed–a new pencil, a notebook, an eraser, crayons, and sometimes water colors.  I still recall receiving these and wondering what adventures they would help me with during the coming year of my studies.”

  • “How many of you have parents who tell you to stay home, that going to school is a waste of time; that you should be caring for more important things?”
  • “How many of you enter your classrooms to find them dark and cold?”
  • “How often do you enter your classroom and find that it hasn’t been brought back to order for starting a new day?”
  • “How many of your teachers never come to class at all, or come unprepared?”

“Of course, seldom, if ever do any of these things happen.  So whose fault is it then, if you settle for a poor education?  Your own!”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of Leroy I. Jorgensen

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”  Mark Twain

August 14, 2013: Cinderella Days!  Back To School Edition!

Funny story, when Makena spontaneously ran down the store aisle wearing a new back pack, she exclaimed, “I will be able to run fast for the bus with this back pack!”  I thought she said, “I will be able to run fast from the boys with this back pack!”  Needless to say, we all had tears of laughter streaming down our cheeks; we had to pull ourselves together at the check-out counter!

By Mary J. Wilding  Makena’s grandma, Author of Tribute Journal

August 4, 2013:  Just Breathe…And A Daisy In A Jelly Glass Jar!

Always have something

beautiful in sight,

even if it’s just a daisy

in a jelly glass jar!

A favorite saying of my grandma’s, Lillie D. Mecham

July 27, 2013:  Advice This Maternity Nurse tells New Parents…And Grandparents!

A Maternity Nurse’s Advice To New Parents…And Grandparents!

Communicate and Compliment

-Use Your Common Sense

-Give Yourself A Generous Learning Curve

By Mary J. Wilding  Registered Nurse, Author of Tribute Journal

“Oh Mary, you’ll find that each stage of your children’s life is busy–it’s just a different kind of busy!  You’ll worry and care about them just as much, if not more, when they get older!”  Advice given to me as a young mom, by my mom, Merle M. Jorgensen

 July 20, 2013: A “Quotable” To Live By!

Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.  E.B. White

If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come.  By Arapaho

July 14, 2013:  Living And Living Well!

There’s a difference in

 Living and living well

You can’t do it all

All by yourself

Something’s always missing 

‘Til you share it with someone else 

There’s a difference between living and living well!

Lyrics to “Living and Living Well” by George Strait 

June 22, 2013:  Old School Values and Modern Technology–Finding A Good Balance!

Through this work with my father, I learned to use tools, repair all kinds of things and work hard at the farm.  The lessons learned there have been a great strength to me all my life.” 

“Through the years, from the time that I was 15 until now at age 77, (1991) the machinery has changed drastically.  Earlier on, it was slow and the breakdowns in the equipment were all too frequent.  It took a long time to get the work done.  Now machines are fast, they are easier to service and are designed for operation in comfort!”

Quoted from Leroy I. Jorgensen’s autobiography

June 19, 2013:  Cinderella Days!  Girls Love To Accessorize!

“You can often tell how good a parent you were by observing your children with their children!”   Just something I’ve thought about since being a grandma! 

June 16, 2013:  Greatness!  A Special Father’s Day Tribute!

“The good you do lives after them!”  Unknown

Things that made my father great:

  • Greatness is learning to do things that would make you mother proud!

“My mother cared for me with great love and attention.”

“My mother was an excellent cook and homemaker.  since I was the oldest of four children, I helped my mother with many household duties.  I especially remember washing and wiping dishes–chores I don’t mind doing in my own home.”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of Leroy I. Jorgensen

  • True greatness comes with equal parts strength and humility!

“True greatness gains recognition because it has been observed by others, not advertised by the individual.”  Don Yeager (sportswriter, author)

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle (Greek philosopher)

  • Greatness is taking time to share your enthusiasm for life with those you love!

“We all get something in life.  It’s not worth a nickel if you don’t give back.”  Walter Payton  (NFL football player)

“I want to be remembered as the guy who tried–tried to be a part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being.”  Paul Newman (actor–my dad’s favorite actor)

“To be truly great, one has to stand with people. not above them.”  Charles de Montesquieu (French politician)

June 14, 2013:  Happy Anniversary!  Things I’ve Learned From My Parent’s Marriage!

  • Be the president of each other’s mutual admiration club!
  • Do the jobs the other doesn’t like!
  • Cuddle while you watch the news!

June 12, 2013:  Cinderella Days!  Grandma Magic!

“If a grandma’s mommy is great-grandma and great grandma’s mommy is great-great grandma…the older you are…the greater you get.”  Quoted from a greeting card

June 8 2013:  Work Smarter Not harder!  A Job Well Done…The Revised Version!

Tips For Working Smarter Not Harder

  • It’s all about the preparation
  • Be patient and take the time to broaden your knowledge base
  • It’s about making lists
  • Don’t be afraid to enlist a bit of technology to help the job go quicker
  • Work smarter not harder…it’s all about efficiency

May 27, 2013:  Celebrating Memorial Day!

“To be faithful to ourselves, we must keep our ancestors and posterity within reach and grasp of our thoughts and affections, living in the memory and retrospect of the past, and hoping with affection and care for those who are to come after us.  We are true to ourselves only when we act with becoming pride for the blood we inherit, and which we are to transmit to those who shall fill our places!” 

Quoted as written in the life story of Lille D. Mecham

May 16, 2013:  Class Act and Fun Facts!  How Well Do We Really Know Our Mothers?

The morning of May 16, 1924, dawned on this treasured infant and her thankful mother–bringing to the mother a gift of heavenly joy, a precious daughter. The air of her first weeks of life in Bloomington, Bear lake, Idaho was perfumed with spring apple blossoms from the orchard.”

Summer days flitted by full of interest for me.  And why not?  I had learned to smile and coo, to notice and play with bright, interesting objects in my new ever-expanding world.  Everyone around me loved me and I proved the love was reciprocated by smiling and sleeping for them, as a good baby should.”

Quoted as written in Merle M. Jorgensen history about her birth.

“Beautiful hands are they that do, the work of the noble, kind and true.”

“I’ll help you and you help me, and what a helping world this will be.”

“Mother had me practice an hour each day.  Most of my little friends were playing outside, so it was quite a temptation for me to shirk my practicing and join them.”

“I liked to watch my chart grow and soon became so interested in my music that no device was necessary to keep me at my practice.” 

“It was as if ghosts had really been turned out on the streets…after we returned home with our brains full of funny experiences that had been encountered that night, we all sat down to a delicious meal and shared our stories.”  (Referring to Halloween festivities.) 

“I was announced as the college Valedictorian during spring quarter of 1945.  I felt honored and worked hard to write and memorize my talk.  I had studied hard, but enjoyed the learning and maturing college afforded me.”

“World War II started during my first quarter of college in 1941.  The war in Europe ended on V-E Day, (Victory in Europe) May 8, 1945, during my last quarter of college.”

 As written from the autobiography of Merle M. Jorgensen  

May 12, 2013: Happy Mother’s Day And Other Important Words!

A Short Course In Human Relations

The six most important word: I admit I made a mistake.

The five most important words: You did a good job!

The four most important words: What is your opinion?

The three most important words: I you please…

The two most important words: Thanks you!

The one most important word: We

The least important word: I

–Author Unknown

May 5, 2013: Dream Big…Then Work Like hard To Make Your Dreams Come True!

“In sorting out those thngs in life most valued, I consider the fine education I have received to be one of my prized possessions.  this is not intended to compare my education with anyone else’s, but rather to consider what my life would have been without it.”

From LeRoy I. Jorgensen history

“Do well by doing good.”  Dr. Kathleen O’Loughlin, Executive Director of the American Dental Association

“In school you are given lesson and then you take tests.  In life you are given tests that help you learn lessons.  Learn to laugh at yourself and don’t take life too seriously.”    Dr. Michael Glick, Dean of Dental Medicine at the University at Buffalo  

April 29, 2013:  Happy Birthday Wishes And Reflections!

We are all a reflection of those who came before us!”  Author unknown

“I have never had a day since my birth that I have not been blessed in countless ways!”

From Leroy I. Jorgensen history

“Your past is the landscape of your life!”  Anonymous

April 22, 2012: Happy Dearth Day!  Tweaking the Perspective A Bit!

“To go to the farm in the spring with the birds, the sky, the soil and all the machinery and get everything going, and then to see the hills cultivated in such a nice way was very satisfying.”

Quoted as written in autobiography of Leroy I. Jorgensen

April 8, 2013: Spring Cleaning!  Cultivating a Good Work Ethic!

I’ve just had to rely on my long-established motto of putting my best effort into whatever jobs were at hand.”

“I developed a routine with the children that included teaching them tasks, working with them on the tasks until they could work independently, then inspecting their finished work.  That way I could monitor how well they learned the things I had taught them.  Of course, their work had to be redone on more than one occasion.  The kids teased me about my “Eagle Eye” inspections.

From Merle M. Jorgensen history

“After my parents were married and I was a small child, my mother spent time on the farm.  During the summer she gardened and cooked and baked bread for a number of the men who were single or who didn’t have wives with them at their farms.”

 From Leroy I. Jorgensen history

March 30, 2013: Life Lessons And Easter Blessings!

“Open my eyes to see wonderful things.”  Psalm 119:18

“My parents blessed me with a healthy body.  It has helped me accomplish many important things throughout my life.” 

Stated by LeRoy I. Jorgensen, just prior to his death May 1, 2002

March 23, 2013: Be Interesting…And Interested!

(Merle and I were)  “…equally committed in all areas our children should have the oppportunities for full personal development.”

From LeRoy I. Jorgensen history.

“I’ve learned that you can really expect your children to listen to your advice and ignore your example.”  H. Jackson Brown

Principle 1 Become genuinely interested in other people.

Principle 2 SMILE

Principle 3 Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

Principle 4:  Be a good listener.  Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Principle 5:  Talk in terms of the pother person’s interests.

Principle 6 Make the other person feel importan…and DO it sincerely!

How To Win Friends and Influence People  by Dale Carnegie

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”   Dr. Suess

March 15, 2013: Luck Is A Lot Of Hard Work!

“I’m a great believer in luck, and the harder I work, the more I have.”  Thomas Jefferson

 Each misfortune you encounter today, will carry in it the seeds of tomorrow’s good luck.”  Winston Churchill

March 10, 2013: Words Of Wisdon…Oh The Fun Of Learning From Our Children!

“Children have a way of making your life feel important.”

“It goes without saying, never have more children than you have car windows.” 

“Giving birth is a set of contraction granting passage of a child, it is then that a mother is born!” 

“Becoming a grandparent is one of life’s rewards for surviving raising your own children!”

Above quotes by author and humorist, Erma Bombeck

“To understand our parent’s love, we must raise children ourselves!”  Chinese Proverb

“I appreciate the fact that my childhood included so many of the things which seem to belong to that period of my life.  I feel that my family, friends and all who touched my life, knowingly or unknowingly, did so in such way to give it direction…I acquired a value system which, in spite of weaknesses, has saved me from serious mistakes and helped me reach up, in a measure at least, to what my better self was capable of becoming.”

From LeRoy I. Jorgensen history 

LISTEN TO THE MUSTN’TS  Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, Listen to the DONT’S, Listen to the SHOULDN’TS, The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS, Listen to the NEVER HAVES, Then listen close to me– Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.”     Shel Silverstein

March 2, 2013: Building Character!  Be Inspired By Your Family Tree!

“I don’t know of one that I’m ashamed of or that I would hesitate to have my name linked to theirs…my family name became a source of pride to me and motivated me to watch myself so that in my living, I didn’t do something foolish to impinge upon the respected name my relatives had made!” 

“My father and I had a special relationship with each other.  As I grew older, we spent much time working together both at our home and at the family dry farm.  I enjoyed working with my father–he was smart and capable of caring for the work by which he earned a living.  He was physically very strong and when on the job, he was seemingly able to do two men’s work.”  Because much of farm work was hard labor, tiring and requiring physical strength, dad was always a welcome companion.  At the farm we spent endless hours discussing every subject imaginable!”

“One day coach ‘Flash’ Nielsen asked me to help care for the equipment and things in the athletic department.  I immediately listed for him several other boys who would be better choices.  The foul smells of the locker room had long before caused me to shun the place.  Also, I’ve always been rather neat and orderly with my person and things; I had no ambition to be picking up after the heroes of the football field and basketball court.”

(I) “…enjoyed many things in life wich perhaps only the very wealthy, or the most politically and socially strong, and spiritually blessed people of the past have experienced…”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen

“Nick was ten years older than me.  As I remember him, he was a clean living young man, no bad habits as I recall.  He was a hard working man all his life.  As a teenager he was slim and not very tall.  Some of the neighbors used to talk to mother about this, they ‘sayd’ to her that she worked him too hard, but when he started growing he became taller and bigger than any of his boyhood friends.”

“He was very good to the needy and helped many caring for their sick and when death entered the homes, he was one of the first to help.  He was very popular with the young people of the town, he could have had almost any girl in town…but he groomed his horse and with a fine buggy, he would drive pretty regularly to see his girl, Mary Barnes.”

Quoted as written by John W. Jorgensen in Appendix 1 from LeRoy I. Jorgensen history 

“We are constantly invited to be what we are.”  Henry David Thoreau

February 22, 2013: I’m Grateful

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”  Marcel Proust

February 12, 2013:  Love Letters Can Create A Love Story!

“Merle and I became engaged in February (1946) and made plans to marry in June.  I was so proud of Merle; she was very beautiful, meeting all my expectations for a wife, and more!  Our friendship ripened and the next months became the most “delicious” time of my life!”

“My wife has always been most special.  In spite of some challenges, our years together have been happy and productive of the many satisfying growth experiences I had hoped for in our marriage.  Merle has truly been the right companion for me and I love her dearly!”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen

January 31, 2013: To Every Thing There Is A Season…Some Seasons Are Just More Preferred Than Others!

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Nothing is a waste of time, if you use the experience wisely.”  Author unknown

January 26, 2013: Rules To Live By…Especially When We Make Them Ourselves!

“Always do right.  This will gratify some people and astonish the rest!”  Mark Twain

January 16, 2013: A Happy New Year Redefined!

“…Merle and I try each day to use good judgement in all areas of our living.  This includes good food, exercise, rest and the other things which add up to wholesome and balanced.

From LeRoy I. Jorgensen history

“Tomorrow is…the first blank page of a 365-page book.  Write a good one.”

Brad Paisley, country singer in Reader’s Digest, January 2013

January 4, 2013: Giving Is A Good Way To Start The Year!

“Don’t give up, the beginning is always the hardest.”  Pinterest

Fun Journal Ideas…And A Christmas Giveaway!

“As I have tried to look back into the past, I’ve been saddened to find that few records exist to help me know, appreciate or understand the lives of my forbearers.  the ups and downs, the activites, learning and rich experiences of their lives are gone, never to be recalled”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen

Be Bright-eyed And Bushy Tailed-A light-Hearted Carpe Diem

“I have noticed that some people seem always to be looking for some spectacular job or opportunity–lucky number or whatnot–which will bring them great wealth; then they can relax on easy street the rest of their lives–only concerned each day with what they can do that will be exciting and fun!  This attitude has little appeal for me.  It seems so much of life’s pleasure comes from caring for the small and even mundane tasks.  Unless a person can learn to enjoy these, much of what life has to offer is lost.”

As I look into the faces of my grandchildren, each one healthy in body and mind, and note their enthusiam for life, my sincere hope for each of them is that their lives can turn out for them as well as mine has for me.”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen

“I immediately went home…it was Saturday evening several years earlier when Spencer was only three or four years old.  He and I were sitting out on the deck enjoying lemonade and licorice whips.  I remember watching the sprinklers water the grass and listening to Tamara inside the house.  I breathed deeply and forgot about the woman poking at my hands to find a good vein.  My thoughts remained on my deck at home.  Time stood still for me in that instant.  My heart filled with clear certainty that being on the deck there with my son was as good as life gets.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  I could not hold back the warm feelings of joy and gratitude.  This perfect, happy place was nothing special.  It was found in the simpl, everyday pleasure of being a husband and dad.”

Quoted from the book,I Knew Their Hearts” by Jeff Olsen

A Patriotic Heart Amid Political Rhetoric…And An Anecdote To Live By!

” This time, like all times, is a very good one if we know what to do with it!”  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

“…my patriotism was also strengthened by the positive expressions of my parents concerning our nation.  Our state and national leaders were spoken of far more frequently with respect and appreciation than with criticism and rejection.”

“One day, I met a friend who had been a judge for many years–his name was Zachary Champlin.  He had had unusually rich experience in working with people who had been involved in serious and tragic situations.  I shook his hand and said to him, ‘Judge Champlin, tell me one thing a person should do to have a happy life?’  Without hesitation he answered, ‘Stay out of jail.’  This brief reply had many ramifications in my mind.  Basically, it meant to be a proud, loyal, and patriotic citizen; to appreciate the great blessing we have to be born citizens of the United States of America!”

As told by LeRoy I. Jorgensen

The Perfect Parenting Coup After Trick Or Treating Sabotage!

“I was standing with my little, four-year-old right hand in my father’s big left hand as we stood looking at our new home. The feelings I had were of contentment and security–two emotions which have followed me pretty much throughout my life.”

“I think these feelings must have come from the inner realization that my parents were very happy and proud to have me as a member of their family.”

Quoted as written in the autobiography of LeRoy I. Jorgensen

Inspirational Pay Dirt and A Leap Of Faith!

A good storyteller doesn’t just tell a better story, “He invites other people into the story with him, giving them a better story too.”

“We live in a world where bad stories are told that teach us life doesn’t mean anything…it’s a good calling then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines.  How easily the world looks to it in wonder.  How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them.”     

Quotes from the book,  “A Million Miles In A Thousand Years”  by Donald Miller

A Promise To Myself!

“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry.”  Mark Twain

“I suppose that when you get to be my age, you can expect the doctor will give you bad news about some tests he’s taken on you.”

“I don’t know about dying, it must work, because surely a lot of people do it and don’t come back.” 

“I’ve had a really good thing going here.”

“My life has been a good one, very worthwhile.”

Stated by LeRoy Jorgensen, my dad, prior to his death, after receiving the terminal diagnosis of myelocytic leukemia.

 

 

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